Newsletter

Please follow these guidelines to protect your pet during the winter months.

Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, cats can freeze, become lost or stolen, or be injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to fatal infectious diseases, including rabies.

During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes choose to sleep under the hoods of cars, where it is warm. Then, when the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed in the fan belt. To prevent this, bang loudly on the hood of your car and wait a few seconds before starting the engine. This will give a cat the chance to escape.

When walking your dog on snow or ice, never let him or her off the leash. This is particularly important during a snowstorm. Dogs frequently lose their scent in snow and ice and easily become lost. They may panic in a snowstorm and run away. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season.

Thorougly wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when he or she comes in out of the rain, snow or ice. Check his or her sensitive paw pads. Paw pads may bleed from snow or ice encrusted in them. Also, salt, antifreeze or other chemicals could hurt your dog if he or she ingests them while licking his or her paws.

If you own a short-haired dog, consider getting him or her a warm coat or sweater. Look for one with a high collar or turtleneck. While this may seem like a luxury, it is a necessity for many dogs.

Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold. Your pet could freeze to death.

If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed, take him outdoors only long enough to relieve him or her self.

Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs. They may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. Patience is necessary.

If your dog spends a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities, increase his supply of food. Increasing the amount of protein is particularly important in order to keep his or her fur thick and healthy.

Antifreeze, even in very tiny doses, is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Because of its sweet taste, animals are attracted to it. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle. To prevent accidental poisonings, more and more people are using animal-friendly products that contain propylene glycol rather than the traditional products containing ethylene glycol. Do not hesitate to call your veterinarian if you suspect that your pet has been poisoned.

During the winter months, never shave your dog down to the skin. A long coat provides more warmth. Remember that such a style will require more frequent brushing due to dry winter air and static electricity. When you bathe your dog, make sure he or she is completely dry before you take her out for a walk.

Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep. This should be far away from all drafts and off the floor. A dog or cat bed, with a warm pillow and blanket, is ideal.

With warmer weather approaching, plenty of pet owners are thinking of getting into shape before hitting the beach. But what about pets? Obesity is a growing problem among both cats and dogs. And much like humans, too many extra pounds can have far-reaching consequences for our animal companions. In this report from the Veterinary News Network, Dr. Jim Humphries discusses the health problems that can occur if your pet is overweight and shares tips on how you can get your pet's weight under control.

Hepatic lipidosis, also known as fatty liver syndrome, is a common and very serious condition that occurs in fat cats who, for some reason or another, have stopped eating. The disease results from an accumulation of fat in the liver and, if not treated during the early stages, can be deadly. Hepatic lipidosis is treatable and cure rates are good if the cat is presented to a veterinarian during the early stages of the disease.

Why would a fat cat not be eating?

Here are some reasons:

• Bad teeth
• Intestinal blockage
• Stress - examples: Moving into a new home, introducing a new animal into the family, owner goes on vacation
• Hairball
• Illnesses

These are all good reasons why a cat would stop eating. The most common reason for a cat to stop eating is an upper respiratory infection.

Think about it - cats like their food because they enjoy it and are familiar with the smell. So if a cat can't smell its food, it's not going to eat.

The question is: "What would cause a cat to loose its ability to smell food?"

An upper respiratory infection could cause a cat to loose its sense of smell.

Cats get upper respiratory infections all the time - sneezing, runny nose, runny eyes.

So, you have a fat cat that gets the flu and can't smell. Since the cat cannot smell his food, he stops eating. The body is looking for ways to feed itself, and tries to do this by converting stored fat into energy. In order for the fat to be converted into fuel, it must pass through the cat's liver. The liver can't handle this fatty saturation and liver dysfunction ensues. This doesn't happen to thin cats. They don't have enough fat available to mobilize and create this problem.

Many owners do notice that their cat is not eating, but they think, "That's all right, Tiger needs to lose a few pounds." Then, after a week or two without an appetite, they start to worry and finally bring the animal to the veterinarian. If they don't bring their cat in soon enough, he (or she) is a prime candidate for hepatic lipidosis.

Symptoms associated with hepatic lipidosis include loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, weight loss and lethargy. Some cats develop a yellow coloration of the eyes, ears and mouth. This yellow coloration (particularly of the mucus membranes) is jaundice and usually indicates liver disease and/or red blood cell destruction.

The prognosis for cats with hepatic lipidosis is good if treatment is not delayed. The longer that treatment is delayed, the less likely for recovery. Cats that have underlying diseases (cancer, pancreatitis) are less likely to recover.

How would a veterinarian treat a cat with hepatic lipidosis? The veterinarian would probably hospitalize the cat, and among other treatments, feed it through a tube. After your cat has recovered from hepatic lipidosis, or, before your fat cat gets hepatic lipidosis, you should put your cat on a veterinarian-recommended low-calorie diet. Exercise is an important factor in weight loss, so it is important to encourage exercise via catnip or toys. Carefully monitoring your cat's food intake in times of stress (for example, the addition of a new pet) can be crucial in preventing mortality due to hepatic lipidosis.

Preventing obesity is the best way to prevent hepatic lipidosis. Regular meals should be given and free-choice feeding should be avoided. Obese cats should be placed on a special diet food. By slimming Tiger down, you could save him from hepatic lipidosis and other life-threatening diseases related to cat obesity.

For more information on disease prevention, contact a staff member at your veterinary hospital

The staff at our hospital would like to develop a close relationship with you and your pet. You will find that among the members of our staff, we have interest and expertise in many species and specialties. Hopefully, your pet will never require more than routine care, but sometimes more complex issues arise.

In many cases, early detection and monitoring can help prevent problems and provide long-term management of existing conditions. We have found great satisfaction in keeping our patients comfortable and happy! Because some health conditions have a genetic basis, we know that puppies of certain breeds are more likely than average to show specific problems. We would like to offer you help with early detection of these, so that their effects, if present, can be minimized. Please scan the list below; it is an illustration of how pervasive genetic diseases are. If your breed is listed, please ask a member of our staff about the linked disease, screening test(s), and recommendations.

German Shepherd

This list is just a sample and is not exhaustive; ask us if your pet is pre-disposed to something so that we can discuss how to help. Some problems, such as heart valve disease, dental/periodontal disease, and skin allergies are seen in many breeds. Some of our suggestions may be hospital-oriented (lab-work, X-rays, etc.) while some may relate to home management. For example: a large breed puppy that is checked for hip dysplasia may have a long, relatively comfortable life if he/she avoids games of Frisbee and long runs; a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel placed on cardiac drugs pre-emptively may significantly increase its life expectancy.

King Charles Cavalier Spaniel

When should these problems be addressed? Before the problem is so severe that your pet is showing symptoms. More often than not, a few simple tests can give a diagnosis. From there, we work with you to keep your pet comfortable and symptom-free.

Boxer

1. My cat won't use the litter box because he/she is rebellious and wants to make me mad.
A. True
B. False

2. My cat scratches the furniture to:
A. Mark territory
B. All of these
C. Stretch muscles
D. Shed nail sheaths

3. What's the purpose in why my cat "kneads"?
A. A sign of being hungry
B. A sign of aggressiveness
C. A sign of affection
D. A sign of being unhappy

4. My cat leaves objects such as his/her toys in his/her food or water bowls just to drive me crazy.
A. True
B. False

5.Why does my cat suddenly bite me in an aggressive manner when I'm petting him/her?
A. My cat is mean
B. None of these
C. My cat doesn't like affection
D. My cat doesn't want to be petted anymore

6. My cat purrs only when he/she is happy and relaxed.
A. True
B. False

7. Is it normal for my cat to exhibit body movements during sleep?
A. Yes
B. No

8.Why does my cat insist on playing and ransacking the house after I have gone to bed?
A. My cat wants me to get up
B. My cat is a nocturnal creature
C. My cat likes to annoy me
D. None of these

9. Why does my cat scratch the floor around his/her food and water bowls after eating as if to cover it up?
A. To hide it
B. Doesn't like its location
C. It smells bad
D. None of these

10. Why does my indoor cat attack me or my other indoor cat(s) when he/she sees an unknown cat outdoors?
A. My cat is most likely showing he/she is in control
B. My cat is most likely showing displaced fear
C. My cat thinks of me or my other cat(s) as prey
D. My cat is most likely showing displaced aggression

Answers

1. B 2. B 3. C 4. B 5. D
6. B 7. A 8. B 9. A 10. D

Most often, this type of behavior is exhibited by puppies, small dogs, or dogs which have never been trained not to jump on people. Dogs will jump up on people for one reason: to get attention from you. This is why when he is a puppy you will want to avoid petting him when he jumps up. Teach your puppy or dog to "sit" for attention or praise of any kind. When he jumps on you, use your lowered tone of voice and lean towards the dog saying "OFF." He will have no choice but to back away from you and when he does, teach him to sit only after he has his bottom firmly planted on the ground. Offer him calm praise for obeying you. Soon all you will have to say to your dog is "sit" and he will comply readily because he knows he will be rewarded.

Training Tip

What if he jumps on you on "the fly" and zips off where you cannot get your hands on him? Attach your leash to his collar and now you are in total control. Tell him "OFF," then, "SIT," help him into this position, and praise him calmly. If you offer too much excited praise, you will be giving him the fuel to feed his bad habit, because he will want to jump up again. You cannot expect him to be calm if you are talking to him in your cutest baby talk. Try to avoid situations where you will be setting the dog up in a "no win" situation.